Stocking thinking

[Byron]

I was looking at the Bolivian Ram, Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, admittedly because they looked like they liked lower temperatures and are hardy. Would that one be alright?

This depends upon the other fish you decide on. For example, if you go with most barbs or danios, I would not have a cichlid because the barbs and danios are fairly active fish, and this can unsettle a sedate cichlid. With quieter (less active) upper shoaling species, fine. They may be small fish, but a male Bolivian Ram will still consider the tank space "his," I know mine did. M. altispinosus is fine in the "normal" temp range of 24-26C/75-79F.

 

[Monocle75]

This depends upon the other fish you decide on. For example, if you go with most barbs or danios, I would not have a cichlid because the barbs and danios are fairly active fish, and this can unsettle a sedate cichlid. With quieter (less active) upper shoaling species, fine. They may be small fish, but a male Bolivian Ram will still consider the tank space "his," I know mine did. M. altispinosus is fine in the "normal" temp range of 24-26C/75-79F.

Well right now, and yeah this is still tentative, I am thinking maybe a group of rainbow fish, a tetra group (bloodeye, emperor, x-ray, serpea, lemon, red phantom, Buenos Aires or penguin look like from my research to have no issues with the water, so one school of one type of them), a group of Cory's on the bottom, and the bristlenose pleco. Probably not going to include the platies. Would that be too much activity for the Ram?

 

[Byron]

Well right now, and yeah this is still tentative, I am thinking maybe a group of rainbow fish, a tetra group (bloodeye, emperor, x-ray, serpea, lemon, red phantom, Buenos Aires or penguin look like from my research to have no issues with the water, so one school of one type of them), a group of Cory's on the bottom, and the bristlenose pleco. Probably not going to include the platies. Would that be too much activity for the Ram?

Some of those fish should not be housed with sedate fish due to fin nipping. Serpae Tetra are notorious fin-nippers, and need a group of 12+ in a 30g tank on their own as minimum, which is fine as you have a 4-foot 55g tank, so a group of Serpaes could work, but with carefully selected tankmates, i.e., none with long fins, or quiet behaviours. I'm not sure which tetra "bloodeye" refers to, did you mean red eye, or bloodfin?

 

[Monocle75]

That would be red eye, yeah.

Good to know about the Serpea, I may just avoid them, as there are plenty of other good options I can go with for my tetra school.